In chapter 5, Carlson and Brosnahan make suggestions on how to guide students in choosing their own topics and developing good research questions. They stress the importance that students need to have some background information on their topics before they can create good inquiry questions. We also need to encourage them to create questions that revolve around how and why questions, cause and effect or the pros and cons of a topic to prevent plagiarism. In order to develop background information, they suggest having students chose a topic they are interested in and take out a non-fiction book on the topic. Students are then asked to read the book cover to cover. During this process the teacher can also teach mini-lessons on non-fiction reading strategies such as summarizing, determining important ideas and recognizing bias.
It is also important to teach students how to summarize information and take notes in order to help reduce the chances of plagiarism. They suggest teaching students to read an entire page or section and then closing the book to write down what they have learned in their own words. Using non-fiction books usually motivates reluctant readers, but also gives students background knowledge that they can then use to develop their research questions.
Chapter 6: I'm Not a Good Researcher
We often hear students say that they are not good at something and this includes researching skills. We have to teach our students how to systematically and effectively complete research. This starts with preparing them even before they enter the library. Often, if students are not prepared they enter the library and can make themselves look busy, but not a lot of research is really happening. The following ways that teachers and teacher librarians can prepare students are discussed in this chapter:
Teach students about the different resources available to them and how to find and use them.
Provide students with graphic organizers to organize their information and sources.
Create pathfinders and resource lists.
Help them develop key-word lists to be used online and in indexes etc.
After reading this chapter please share a graphic organizer or a lesson plan that you found very successful in helping students understand and use the research process.
Starting The Research Process
Chapter 5: I Don't Know Where to Start
In chapter 5, Carlson and Brosnahan make suggestions on how to guide students in choosing their own topics and developing good research questions. They stress the importance that students need to have some background information on their topics before they can create good inquiry questions. We also need to encourage them to create questions that revolve around how and why questions, cause and effect or the pros and cons of a topic to prevent plagiarism. In order to develop background information, they suggest having students chose a topic they are interested in and take out a non-fiction book on the topic. Students are then asked to read the book cover to cover. During this process the teacher can also teach mini-lessons on non-fiction reading strategies such as summarizing, determining important ideas and recognizing bias.It is also important to teach students how to summarize information and take notes in order to help reduce the chances of plagiarism. They suggest teaching students to read an entire page or section and then closing the book to write down what they have learned in their own words. Using non-fiction books usually motivates reluctant readers, but also gives students background knowledge that they can then use to develop their research questions.
Chapter 6: I'm Not a Good Researcher
We often hear students say that they are not good at something and this includes researching skills. We have to teach our students how to systematically and effectively complete research. This starts with preparing them even before they enter the library. Often, if students are not prepared they enter the library and can make themselves look busy, but not a lot of research is really happening. The following ways that teachers and teacher librarians can prepare students are discussed in this chapter:- Teach students about the different resources available to them and how to find and use them.
- Provide students with graphic organizers to organize their information and sources.
- Create pathfinders and resource lists.
- Help them develop key-word lists to be used online and in indexes etc.
The followig site is listed in the chapter to help with internet searching and safety tips. – http://www.cybersmartcurriculum.org/homeAfter reading this chapter please share a graphic organizer or a lesson plan that you found very successful in helping students understand and use the research process.